What is the best way to get that mildewy smell out of my car?

Question

ok so i just bought a chevy corsica and the window was busted out and had been sittin across the street for months full of water. i finally got all the water out and now i'm trying to figure out how to get rid of the mildew smell that is very strong in the car.

Answer 1

Go to Home Depot and get a can of damp rid ...It really works maybe you should get 2 cans . But this works so well, after it gets dry put some carpet fresh on the floor then vacuum it up....Hope it works for you.....

Answer 2

Try Lysol.

Had a similar problem when I plowed my car through 18 inches of water in a flooded street.

First, use a newspaper or paper towel to dry out the carpet thoroughly.

Using a hand spray, spray a mix of lysol on your carpet and upholstery. I used a highly concentrated solution of 2 parts Lysol and 6 parts water and 2 parts isophrophyl alcohol. Allow it to seep deep into your carpet and leave it for 30 mins to an hour under a shade. Dry it out again using paper towels. Then open the windows and let it all air dry.

It doesnt usually work the first time, but you will notice that everytime you do this, the stench starts to lessen significantly. Mine was gone in about 3 days, doing this once every day.

Answer 3

The best way is to pull the carpet and replace the padding, called jute. Then it's just a matter of cleaning seats and carpet, as others have said. The jute will retain moisture and smell for a long, long time. As a mechanic that does flood repairs at a dealership for insurance companies, I've never had a complaint yet!

Answer 4

I was an auto appraiser for many years and want to share one experience I had.

A guy comitted suicide in his top-o-the-line Cadillac, but nobody found him for weeks.

The car reeked.

The insurance company wrote off the car as a total loss because the appraiser (not me) couldn't figure out how to get rid of the smell.

An experienced body shop man bought the car at auction for a song.

He laid newspaper on all the horizontal surfaces in the car (seats, rear shelf, dashboard, carpets) and he put a thick layer of coffee grounds on the newspapers and left the car parked at his shop for a few weeks.

After removing the coffee and papers the car smelled wonderful. The coffee grounds not only imparted their own pleasant aroma, but they absorbed the foul odor.

I hope this helps.
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Answer 5

If it’s still a problem after trying the usual cleansers, vinegar, etc, borrow an ozone generator and run it in the car with the windows rolled up. Don’t over do it!

Answer 6

I'm sorry to say this but you probably need to shampoo everything. And you may even have to replace the carpet. Otherwise try using a carpet deodorizer and aftershave. I would go with Brut. Good luck.

Answer 7

Once everything is dry again, you can buy a few red apples, slice them up in wedges and scatter them throughout the car. Then close it up and leave it for a few days.

Answer 8

Some dilute hydrogen peroxide, sprayed on, is good. Does not leave residue like harmful chlorine bleach.

Answer 9

Dry the carpets and put a car deodourant in.

Answer 10

You're going to have to replace the carpeting and upholstery if it was wet or damp all that time.